Jennifer Ellis
By Joshua Burd
Gensler has promoted Jennifer Ellis to director with its Strategy Studio, a practice that guides clients through major changes to their organizations and workplaces.
Ellis, who joined the firm in 2006, has more than 25 years of professional experience in design, client engagement, workplace strategy and project leadership with companies from a wide range of industries throughout New Jersey. That includes leading the strategy practice in Morristown, which uses research and data to better understand clients’ specific culture, spatial requirements and project vision as they recalibrate their physical footprint.
“When our clients are challenged, we use workplace strategy to help them optimize their real estate,” Ellis said. “Whether it’s a merger, a return-to-work strategy or space efficiency, we seek to understand the right solution for each organization.”
Ellis started with Gensler as an interior designer, designing workplaces for companies such as Connell Foley LLP, Liberty Mutual and Wyndham Worldwide, according to a news release. She is known for her enthusiasm for understanding each client and project and her desire to quantify the impact of emerging trends, creating what the firm said is a strong balance of design and research.
Gensler added that, with a portfolio of client names including Provident Bank, Samsung and Pinterest, Ellis and her team lead businesses through change management initiatives, real estate portfolio strategy, workplace strategy and design guidelines.
“We’ve seen a number of companies rethinking their space planning and management in offices over the last five years,” said Reid Brockmeier and Becky Button, co-managing directors of Gensler’s Morristown office. “With a background as an interior designer, Jenn has been instrumental in helping clients make data-informed decisions to find a workplace strategy that fits their needs. Her promotion to studio director reflects the growth of this practice and her commitment to the ever-evolving workplace.”
Beyond the workplace, Ellis’ interests include the practice of inclusive design, which aims to understand how designers can create spaces that allow all occupants participate on an equal footing and support ethnic, racial, gender, age, ability, size and sexual orientation diversity, according to her bio. She is certified by the National Council of Interior Design Qualifications and is accredited by both the International WELL Building Institute and the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.
